Copying-book



UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

SHEA SMITH, OF HICAGO, ILLINOIS.

COPYING-BOOK.

SPECIFICATION-forming part of Letters Patent No. 241,566, dated'May 17, 1881 Application filed May 27, 1880. (No model.) A

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, SHEA SMITH, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, and a citizen of the United States,

have invented new and useful Improvements in Copying-Books for Bills and Invoices, of which the following is a full description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, which shows an open copying-book con- Io taining my invention, the dotted lines on the `left-hand sheet indicating the position of ruled lines on the opposite side.

Itis customary to copy bills and invoices into ajournal by hand. The rm of which I 1 5 am a member has endeavored to introduce socalled copying-books7 for use in press-copying such bills and invoices; but as such books have been heretofore made they have not been acceptable and satisfactory', because it hasbeen 2o difficult to bring together the footings of the several bills on a single page, the figures of the footings being liable to be confounded with other figures, and hence many mistakes occur.

It is also a matter of much labor to bring to- 2 5 gether and estimate the total ot' a days business. The books mentioned have onlybeen designed and adapted to receive the copy of the bill or invoice. L

The object of my invention is to provide a 3o copying-book free from the objections mentioned and acceptable toconsumers as a presscopying book for bills and invoices, which I accomplish by constructing such book as hereinafter particularly described.

In the drawing, A represents a book the `leaves of which are made from paper of such quality that while it can be used for presscopying it is also adapted to receive writing with inkby hand.l Each leaf is ruled as shown in the drawing or in a similar manner. Upon the left of `'the ruled line a is a space, b, for journal or'ledger folios. Upon the right-hand side of each page are any suitable number of ruled lines,'primarily designed forligures. The large blank space B between the ruled lines at the two sides of the page is of sufficient width to receive a copy of the bill or invoice, including the gures upon such bills or invoices, which are to be copied into the book, so that Aing accounts.

when such bills or invoices have belen copied the space b for journal or ledger folios and the ruled space at the right hand of` thei page will be free from copy.

In use the bills and invoices are to be copied into the space B. Then the book-keeper can carry, by means of pen and ink, the footing of each bill or invoice into the dollar and cent columns at the right hand ofthe copy, and can also foot the totals ofthe several bills on a page and place the amount at the bottom ot' such columns, and carry such amount forward from page to page, as may be desired," to ascertain the total of the business for a day or other period. The total of each bill on apage being thus carried into suitably-ruled columns,

mistakes in postiu g and footing such totals areV not likely to occur from a confusion of figures or imperfect figures in the copy.

By using these books there will be a great saving iulabor, in the cost of journals, and mistakes incident to handcopying will be avoided, while the dealer will have an exact and complete copy of the bill sent to his customer, with any memorandum or note that may be made on the bill.

If desired, the page can be Wider than shown in the drawing, and additional ruled lines can be used to the right of those already shown, which will be found convenient in keeping certain classes of accounts.

. The pages may ordinarily be about nineteen inches long and about eleven inches wide; but any other suitable size may be used. Each page maybe providedwith a ruled line both atthe top and bottom, a little distance from the edge.

I do not claim, broadly, a copying-book into which bills and invoices can be copied; neither do Iclaim animprovementin amethod of keep- My invention is limited to a book the leaves of which are made of copyingpaper, having a large space to receive the copy written upon with pen and ink, each leaf having its outer portion provided with ruled 1ongitudinalcolnmns,theblankspace oftheleaves serving to receive the press-copy of the bill or invoice and the ruled columns to receive the r 5 totals of the same, substantially as described.

SHEA SMlTH.

Witnesses E. A. WEST, 0. W. BOND. 

